Paul “Red” East, Lincoln High School class of 1950, devoted 35 years to teaching, guidance counseling, and coaching.  He started his career in the Vincennes school system teaching junior high social studies.  Subsequently he moved to classrooms at Lincoln and coaching positions in basketball, cross country, and track. 

            In 1961 he moved to Jasper High School where he continued his career another 30 years.  He was guidance director and involved in several coaching duties including at various times head coach of boys basketball, cross country, track, swimming, girls golf, and assistant coach of football.  During his tenure, teams from each of these sport categories reached state finals competition except basketball.  One of his basketball teams advanced to the semistate tournament.  He completed his career with a winning record in each sport he coached. 

East served a term as president of the Indiana Association of College Admission Counselors.  At one time he was the only high school counselor on the five-member board for the National Admissions Practice Committee.  He also was a member of the committee that founded the Indiana Academy for Humanity, Math, and Science at Ball State University and he continued with this group for more than a dozen years.  Ball State recognized him as an “outstanding guidance counselor” in Indiana.  After he retired from teaching, Jasper High School honored him with the title “educator of distinction.” 

            East earned letters in both football and basketball at Henderson State University, which awarded him a Bachelor’s degree in 1954.  Following a tour in the U.S. Army, East earned a Master’s degree from Indiana University in 1957.

            East’s Lincoln High School athletic record is legendary: named outstanding freshman athlete his first year in school; four years varsity track, senior year team captain; three years varsity football and during senior year, team co-captain and recipient of the prestigious American Legion football award; three years varsity basketball;  He also was a member of YMCA swim teams and played American Legion baseball. 

            Outside of athletics, East was president of his senior class and a member of Boosters Club, Lincoln Playshop, Hi-Y, and Lincoln Log yearbook staff. 

            After retiring from teaching, East continued his affiliation with a capital management firm, an occupation that he started part-time many years earlier.  He and his wife, Doris, who have eight children, continue to reside in Jasper.